Immortals Handbook Epic Bestiary (now available)

[Upper_Krust]

U_K!

Hey Ltheb dude!

Real quick question (Wait, you don't believe me? ). Will Ascension feature *some* of your rules governing immortal Artifact Creation and/or Spellcasting? As in, could you use it stand-alone without the Grimoir and build a complete immortal, or does the grimoir hold the bulk of the info on spellcasting and Artifact creation?

Ascension will have very basic artifact approximation rules (as will the printed version of the Bestiary). So you'll be able to 'create' epic magic items that approximate to artifacts, but they won't have the unique bits that make artifacts different. It would be self-defeating for me to add such rules to Ascension.

Beyond the Automatic Metamagic Capacity/Metamagic Freedom, you'll have to wait for the Grimoire before I divulge that.

In other news...

Regarding deity Challenge Rating (when Transcendental and Omnific Powers are present) the aforementioned x2 and x10 multipliers were to be considered speculative at this point. I am not even sure if we will need them. Also I am not even sure if the Neutronium Golem's Challenge Rating is accurate.

Anothere element of Challenge Ratings I have noticed is that I don't think Cosmic Gods will have the standard 4 artifacts, but instead only one, if even that. At least this will be true of the examples, I'm not enforcing it on NPCs/PCs. Of course this means they take a CR hit if they don't have their full artifacts. I am not sure of the full nuances of this yet, nor whether they should have one artifact valued at all their wealth - which I think could be unbalanced.

 

[dante58701]

when is ascension going to be done?

 

[GQuail]

when is ascension going to be done?

...is this the same ever-hopeful guy who posted like this before the Crisis? :>

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey dante!

when is ascension going to be done?

I'll be looking to send out the first draft (to a few proofreaders/playtesters) at the end of this month. Once I get some feedback from them I should know better when I'll be ready.

I may go ahead with a partial art* early release (because I am totally on my last legs financially) the first or second week of June. Obviously (as with last time) you would get the update free - also I would probably do this with ENWorld rather than one to one, so it will be a far more attractive to people.

*Cover, and maybe about a third of the art.

One other element, I'll not know until the end of this week is the final page count. I'm now thinking it may be above 160 pages - some of the sample deities are taking up a bit more space than I had initially anticipated. Surtur's entry is 5 pages for instance and it would be 6 if I included the Firestarter Prestige Class which may or may not make the final cut. Obviously not all the samples run that length but its now looking like the Appendix will run to 50 pages, where I was once anticipating about 30.

 

[Ltheb Silverfrond]

U_K!
Nearly done? Good to hear.
I like that you might put the prerelease sans-art copy on Enworld, because I intend to get it, and I really dislike going through paypal often.
That being said, I liked your art style in the bestiary. Simple, but detailed enough to get the point across. (The nexus dragon I think was my favorite picture, because just thinking of the thing moving forces me to make will saves)
A 50 page immortal appendix? Wow, fifty pages of pregenerated Smackdown.
Hey, any indication of an immortal power (probobly cosmic or higher) similar in effect to that of a Sphere of Annihilation? I know you dont seem to like Save-or-Die effects, but a few of 'em here and there can really scare the fun back into the game if used appropriatly. "Wait, you mean if that little black ball hits me I die for good? EEEP!"

 

[Upper_Krust]

U_K!

Hi Ltheb dude!

Nearly done? Good to hear.

It doesn't feel like its nearly done, but a few sleepless nights and I should be there or thereabouts come the end of the month.

I like that you might put the prerelease sans-art copy on Enworld, because I intend to get it, and I really dislike going through paypal often.

I think that was will be easier for people...and myself, last time took me ages sending all the files out individually and I didn't want to link emails to preserve buyer confidentiality (and all that jazz).

That being said, I liked your art style in the bestiary. Simple, but detailed enough to get the point across. (The nexus dragon I think was my favorite picture, because just thinking of the thing moving forces me to make will saves)

I appreciate the support. I know I am not the ideal choice artist, but until I actually make some money enough to pay an artist, I'm all you've got.

I'll do my best.

A 50 page immortal appendix? Wow, fifty pages of pregenerated Smackdown.

I just had a look there, I may be able to squeeze it down to 45-48 ish.

Weirdly the majority of those pages are not stats. I was able to do all the Manifestations within 1 page (or at least all those I have so far).

Hey, any indication of an immortal power (probobly cosmic or higher) similar in effect to that of a Sphere of Annihilation? I know you dont seem to like Save-or-Die effects, but a few of 'em here and there can really scare the fun back into the game if used appropriatly. "Wait, you mean if that little black ball hits me I die for good? EEEP!"

I sort of prefer the permanent damage route...but I'll see what I can do.

 

[Ltheb Silverfrond]

U_K!
Hey thanks for the info. I was thinking earlier about the Sphere of Annihilation, and now that you bring up your entropy-type damage, I was thinking that instead of Auto-Annihilating someone via touch, that a good conversion for your system might be making the Sphere deal 50 points of permenent (Is entropic a good word to type it as?) damage. I think that is enough damage to scare/kill any mortal character, yet it prevents the mighty Cthulu from dieing to a lucky mage with high Int. (Since there is nothing in the Spheres text saying deities are immune, only that a deity can restore a dead character to life)
I like your permenent damage provision alot. It makes healing slightly more complicated than "I restore xdx+x hp to you." or "You are fully healed, have a nice day."

 

[Upper_Krust]

U_K!

Hey Ltheb matey!

Hey thanks for the info. I was thinking earlier about the Sphere of Annihilation, and now that you bring up your entropy-type damage, I was thinking that instead of Auto-Annihilating someone via touch, that a good conversion for your system might be making the Sphere deal 50 points of permenent (Is entropic a good word to type it as?) damage. I think that is enough damage to scare/kill any mortal character, yet it prevents the mighty Cthulu from dieing to a lucky mage with high Int. (Since there is nothing in the Spheres text saying deities are immune, only that a deity can restore a dead character to life).

I think a Sphere of Annihilation would cause something with a working anatomy to probably make a save versus death in addition to the permanent damage.

However, I don't think it would necessarily kill an Outsider (Nor construct, fey or intelligent undead) like this, though it would still do damage.

Outsiders with regeneration should be able to survive decapitation (I seem to recall this is mentioned in the recent stats for Pazuzu in Dragon Magazine (#329 off the top of my head I think).

One thing I have been puzzling over is why the heck they gave Elementals a Constitution score? As far as I can see it doesn't make sense for something to have a Con score AND be Immune to Critical Hits.

I like your permenent damage provision alot. It makes healing slightly more complicated than "I restore xdx+x hp to you." or "You are fully healed, have a nice day."

Some wounds take a bit more effort to heal. Technically permanent damage is permanent. You cannot restore those lost hit points, what actually happens is that you use the wishes to gain new hit points.

 

[dante58701]

Just helping the master

The reason elementals have immunity to critical hit, even though they have a constitution score, is because they lack any "vital" organs due to their pretty straight forward elemental nature. Sand seriously lacks vitals points, as would water, ect. This is why Genies are outsiders rather than elementals. They have vital organs. The reason elementals have a constituton score is because they are very much alive. They arent without their own "life" force. Which is why they are vulnerable to energy drain and similar life force based attacks and effects. I hope this clears that up for you.

Good luck with your work, I cant wait till you finally finish your latest work. Im dying to spend some money on it. If its anything like your last work I know it will kick major ass. Can we say ass here? Anyway, one question...what would a fully advanced Demon Prince of Secrets look like?

 

[CRGreathouse]

FWIW, I agree with dante.